Shannon McElhone, LMHC

Racquel Ellis is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of New York with extensive experience working with the BIPOC community. She provides inclusive mental wellness services to individuals and families. Racquel has been providing mental health services to individuals and families for over a decade and has been a licensed mental health counselor for the past four years. She specializes in working with the BIPOC community and women, offering therapeutic support for mood disorders, trauma, life transitions, and other chronic challenges impacting overall well-being.

Myleka Garnett is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Myleka attended Baruch College in New York City, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree, along with receiving her Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Brandman University in Monterey, California. While working towards her goal to become a licensed Therapist, Myleka completed 3000 supervised clinical hours. Myleka has been a part of the Mental Health field since 2016. Myleka has experience working with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and mental and physical health concerns. Myleka has worked in school settings (elementary, high school, and college) and in a primary care physician's office as an on-site mental health therapist. Myleka's main goal is to build rapport and to provide a safe and nonjudgmental space for all to feel comfortable when expressing how they feel, no matter what the topic of discussion may be. Myleka has provided individual and group therapeutic services, depending on what is most suitable for that specific person. Myleka enjoys using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) when explaining the importance of how our thoughts have an impact on our emotions and our behaviors/actions. Myleka also practices using client-centered and DBT approaches within therapy.

Brenda Keirns, LPC, NCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor recognized by the National Board for Certified Counselors. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University and has extensive experience across inpatient, outpatient, and telehealth settings. Brenda is trained in EMDR through an EMDRIA-approved program and brings over six years of licensure experience. With a multicultural upbringing and more than 18 years as a military spouse, including Command Team involvement, she has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by diverse individuals and families. Brenda also serves as a Committee Member for Integratus, the academic journal of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association.

Brenda values open communication and creates a warm, non-judgmental environment where patients feel respected and supported. She tailors treatment to each patient’s unique needs and utilizes an eclectic, evidence-based approach drawing on CBT, EMDR, SFBT, REBT, DBT, attachment-based theory, trauma-informed care, and faith-based therapy rooted in Thomistic Psychology. Brenda helps patients address depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, relational challenges, personality disorders, and life transitions.

Brenda partners with patients to develop practical coping tools while building on strengths and resilience. She emphasizes collaboration to ensure that patients actively shape their therapeutic goals. With a balance of compassion and clinical expertise, Brenda integrates evidence-based practices with individualized strategies to promote emotional well-being, personal growth, and improved daily functioning.

Dr. Stuart Hedgpeth is a board-certified psychiatrist. While Dr. Hedgpeth primarily focuses on medication management, he understands that mental health often requires approaches from multiple perspectives. Psychodynamic and supportive therapies are offered on an as-needed basis in addition to medication management. New patients are provided 60 minutes for initial visits, and follow-ups are given 30 minutes. Dr. Hedgpeth graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, NC. He completed his adult psychiatry residency training at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond, VA. Dr. Hedgpeth's training has positioned him to care for adults of all ages with a wide spectrum of mental health disorders and related conditions. In his residency he sought out additional experience working with patients undergoing treatment for HIV, patients with trauma-related disorders, and the LGBTQ+ population.

Tikita Ficklin, LPC, has over 10 years of experience practicing in outpatient and inpatient settings, utilizing modalities such as CBT and Solution-Focused Therapy. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences/Human Services and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, both from Mercer University, and is completing a Doctorate in Marriage & Family Therapy from North Central University, expected in 2026.

Tikita values open and honest communication and partners with clients to set clear treatment goals that support their personal growth. She creates a warm, supportive environment where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Tikita begins by thoroughly understanding each client’s history, concerns, and goals during the initial session to foster a trusting relationship. She then develops individualized treatment plans that align with clients’ objectives, guiding them toward their best possible self.

Dr. Albert Luong is a Board Certified adult psychiatrist who integrates a friendly and collaborative approach to treating psychiatric conditions. For him, building strong therapeutic relationships is key to helping patients achieve their goals. In line with holistic treatment, Dr. Luong utilizes psychotherapy and medication management to implement a safe, empathic, and individualistic framework that allows for healing and wellness. Dr. Luong works primarily with patients dealing with depression, anxiety, stress management, and lack of fulfillment, among other life challenges. Dr. Luong completed undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in biological sciences and graduating with the highest distinction. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed an adult psychiatry residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As part of his training, he was the Chief Resident of the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Department, supervising trainees and treating patients with various psychiatric illnesses.